After Nikki Haley’s defeat in the GOP South Carolina primary‚ Americans for Prosperity Action‚ backed by billionaire Charles Koch‚ announced it has paused financial support for her campaign. According to POLITICO‚ Americans For Prosperity CEO Emily Seidel told staffers the group would “focus its efforts on competitive Senate and House races.” Koch network stops spending on Nikki Haley's presidential campaign – POLITICO https://t.co/qB4ixutTGn — Jason Miller (@JasonMillerinDC) February 25‚ 2024 “She has made it clear that she will continue to fight and we wholeheartedly support her in this effort‚” Seidel wrote‚ according to POLITICO. “But given the challenges in the primary states ahead‚ we don’t believe any outside group can make a material difference to widen her path to victory‚” Seidel added. BREAKING REPORT: Billionaire-backed Koch network HALTS NIKKI HALEY CAMPAIGN FUNDING after South Carolina loss. -CNBC The political advocacy group Americans for Prosperity Action‚ funded by the billionaire Charles Koch‚ has decided to halt its monetary contributions to the… pic.twitter.com/xHa2ZRVBgQ — Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) February 26‚ 2024 POLITICO reports: AFP Action’s decision is the latest blow to Haley’s longshot presidential bid‚ which has sustained losses in four early nominating states and the Virgin Islands‚ including on Saturday‚ when former President Donald Trump beat Haley in her home state by 20 points. Haley declared she will continue on in her primary fight‚ but has only committed to running through Super Tuesday on March 5. AFP Action had funded advertisements and field operations for months last year that were designed to persuade Republican voters to back someone other than Trump in the presidential primary. But it wasn’t until late November that AFP Action tapped Haley as its desired Trump alternative. Since then‚ AFP has reached out to more than 3 million voters in early nominating and Super Tuesday states‚ as well as purchased millions of dollars worth of ads on Haley’s behalf. BREAKING Billionaire Koch network stops funding Nikki Haley campaign.https://t.co/2ByJ4ImAer — Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) February 26‚ 2024 Americans for Prosperity Action‚ the conservative network championed by entrepreneur Charles Koch‚ is pausing its financial backing of GOP presidential hopeful Nikki Haley https://t.co/exFZU1wCYO pic.twitter.com/OdiZcHZEgK — NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) February 26‚ 2024 Per CNBC: AFP Action closing its wallet is the next nail in the coffin for the former South Carolina governor who has taken a series of hits since the start of the election year. Along with AFP Action‚ billionaire Reid Hoffman has also stopped funding Haley’s presidential bid. Despite the setbacks‚ Haley has pledged to stay in the race through Super Tuesday on March 5. Her campaign said that AFP Action pulling funding has not changed that calculus and that it still has the resources to stay afloat. “AFP is a great organization and ally in the fight for freedom and conservative government. We thank them for their tremendous help in this race‚” Haley’s campaign said in a statement on Sunday. “Our fight continues‚ and with more than $1 million coming in from grassroots conservatives in just the last 24 hours‚ we have plenty of fuel to keep going. We have a country to save.” AFP Action will instead channel its resources to finance Republican campaigns on the congressional level. It has so far endorsed five candidates running for Senate and 19 candidates running for House seats.

February 26‚ 2024

On the shores of Kenya‚ where waves weave tales of the sea‚ a remarkable story unfolds—a story of resilience and creativity. This is the journey of Ocean Sole‚ a company that doesn’t just clean beaches; it turns beach trash into vibrant‚ soulful sculptures that bring life and joy to local communities. There are plenty of beach clean-up efforts going on around the world. However‚ we’re often left wondering about the fate of the plastic and waste that gets collected by environmentalists and do-gooders. In Kenya‚ amidst the challenges posed by discarded flip-flops‚ Ocean Sole saw not just waste but an opportunity for transformation. Ocean Sole’s adventure began when founder Julie Church witnessed kids in Kenya repurposing discarded flip-flops into toys. Recognizing the possibilities of this material‚ she worked with local communities to collect‚ wash‚ and recycle flip-flops into colorful sculptures. Joe Mwakiremba‚ head of sales‚ highlights their mission‚ stating‚ “Ocean Sole was founded on the premise of cleaning our oceans and waterways whilst employing artists from high impact communities in Kenya.” A second life for flip-flops In addition to its environmental impact‚ Ocean Sole is important for uplifting communities. Mwakiremba underscores this by explaining‚ “The locals benefit greatly from selling the plastic waste to us.” The cash earned helps in a variety of ways‚ including paying for education and acquiring land and livestock. The good impacts spread throughout the community‚ demonstrating the transformative power of sustainable efforts. The artistic process: creating unique masterpieces out of trash Transforming discarded flip-flops into art is a collaborative project that involves local communities. After collection‚ the flip-flops are washed‚ adhered‚ carved‚ and sanded before being transformed into sculptures. Mwakiremba details‚ “Each piece is unique based on the materials collected.” Inspired by endangered species‚ vehicle designs‚ and practical items such as bottle openers‚ the works not only highlight artistry but also raise environmental consciousness. Impact on places and people: beyond artistic expression Ocean Sole’s impact goes beyond art‚ creating a lasting impression on people and the environment. Collectors find value throughout the wet season and contribute greatly to the endeavor. Mwakiremba shares stories of success‚ such as how one collector was able to send their child to college and how others purchased land and livestock. In terms of environmental impact‚ the company aims to recycle one million flip-flops each year‚ contributing to beach cleanups‚ educational programs‚ and conservation activities. Supporting the cause: how can you get involved? Ocean Sole encourages people to support their cause by purchasing unique art pieces online or volunteering in beach cleanups. Mwakiremba encourages involvement‚ stating‚ “We contribute over 10-15 percent of our revenue to beach cleanups‚ vocational and educational programs as well as conservation efforts.” By participating with Ocean Sole‚ individuals can contribute directly to sustainable practices and community development.The post Kenyan artists transform discarded flip-flops into vibrant sculptures first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern (UT Southwestern) Medical Center are making progress against neurodegenerative disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) using CNM-Au8‚ a concentrated solution of gold nanocrystals. Understanding the energy connection: NAD+/NADH ratio At the heart of this discovery is the restoration of the NAD+/NADH ratio‚ which is an important indicator of global brain energy capability. As Peter Sguigna‚ co-author of the study‚ notes‚ “We are cautiously optimistic that we will be able to prevent or even reverse some neurological disabilities with this strategy.” CNM-Au8 clinical triumph: trials and results REPAIR-PD and REPAIR-MS were two key trials that tested CNM-Au8. REPAIR-PD enrolled 13 people between the ages of 30 and 80 who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease for three years or less. They had been using stable dopaminergic medicines for at least 12 weeks before to the trial‚ assuring consistency. In contrast‚ REPAIR-MS enrolled 11 people aged 18 to 55 who had been diagnosed with stable relapse MS within 15 years of screening. This type of MS‚ defined by symptom relapse followed by remission‚ needed patients to be taking the immunotherapy medicine natalizumab. Sipping on hope: CNM-Au8 administration and intensive monitoring All participants went on a 12-week journey‚ drinking 120 cc of CNM-Au8 every morning. The trials began with a full baseline visit‚ during which patients received an electrocardiogram (ECG)‚ blood tests‚ physical exams‚ and symptom grading tailored to their condition. Phosphorous Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (P-MRS) was useful in noninvasively monitoring energy metabolites throughout the brain. Gold nanocrystals hit the mark The 12-week treatment resulted in a statistically significant increase of 10.4 percent in the NAD+/NADH ratio across both groups. This remarkable accomplishment demonstrated that CNM-Au8 was efficiently targeting the brain and restored the critical balance in energy metabolism. Interestingly‚ the effect on the NAD+/NADH ratio diminished when the 12-week CNM-Au8 treatment was completed. Surprisingly‚ the researchers found an inverse relationship between baseline and post-treatment levels of ATP and other brain energy molecules. Participants with lower baseline levels observed increases‚ whilst those with higher baseline levels showed a re-balancing effect‚ demonstrating CNM-Au8’s subtle impact on different patient profiles. Clene Nanomedicine Inc. is the primary factor behind the creation of CNM-Au8. They fund the work published in the Journal of Nanobiotechnology‚ which is critical to furthering our understanding and treatment of neurodegenerative illnesses. Take a look at this video to find out more about how CNM-Au8 works. Source study: Journal of Nanobiotechnology—Evidence of brain target engagement in Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis by the investigational nanomedicine‚ CNM-Au8‚ in the REPAIR phase 2 clinical trials  The post Drinking gold nanocrystal elixir shows promise in MS and Parkinson’s trials first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

Japan is a land of many mystery beasts‚ which I have recently covered here and here. There are various categories of such things‚ and some of the more uninviting such beasts are enough to make the skin crawl‚ true "creepy crawlies" in every sense. Herre we will take a look at some of the more unsavory mystery beasts of Japan that many may shy away from‚ but which are fascinating nonetheless. 

Throughout history‚ the realms of newspaper and television reporting have been predominantly dominated by men‚ with their bylines and voices shaping the narratives that reached the public. From the early days of print journalism to the advent of televised news‚ men were primarily the ones tasked with writing articles and presenting stories on air. Women‚ […] The post 10 Women Who Broke Down Barriers to Break the News appeared first on Listverse.

Music and comedy may seem like completely different art forms‚ but they have some important things in common‚ such as their reliance on timing and rhythm. It is also surprising how many famous comedians‚ like the banjo-playing Steve Martin‚ have found success in music as well. These 10 wacky comics have also made their mark […] The post 10 Wacky Comics Who Made a Mark as Musicians appeared first on Listverse.

The national tragedy of more drug overdose deaths‚ suicides‚ and homicides won’t be solved “if we have to look at each other through the prism of race‚” activist Bob Woodson says. “There are people who are profiting from the grievance of our society‚ and we must challenge these racial profiteers‚” says Woodson‚ an author and founder of the Washington-based Woodson Center. Some “try to promote” the racial challenges in America‚ Woodson says‚ citing two examples. “Black Lives Matter … comes along and collects $100 million in white guilt money‚” he says. “Ibram X. Kendi at Boston University collects $48 million to do anti-racist research.”  In Woodson’s view‚ “race has been a distraction” to addressing the real problems confronting poor communities. If a fraction of the money given to “anti-racism” initiatives instead was put into organizations such as The Piney Woods School‚ which serves children from challenging backgrounds and neighborhoods‚ Woodson contends that more lives could be changed in tangible ways.  Since the 1980s‚ Woodson‚ who is black‚ has worked to address issues plaguing poor communities across the country. As a young man‚ he was part of the civil rights movement. But‚ finding himself in disagreement with some aspects of the movement‚ Woodson says he “began to work on behalf of low-income people of all races.”  Now‚ at 86‚ Woodson says‚ The Woodson Center gives a voice “to the voiceless grassroots leaders who are laboring in these communities confronting drugs and violence and out-of-wedlock births.”   “I’ve sought an alternative to the traditional approach to these problems‚ which is to pour more government money into it‚ $22 trillion in the last 50 years on programs to aid the poor‚” Woodson says. However‚ he adds‚ “70% of every dollar didn’t go to the poor‚ but those who serve the poor‚ who ask which problems are fundable‚ not which ones are solvable.” Woodson joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to expose the harmful effects of a focus on race on black communities and to explain how the strategy of The Woodson Center transforms lives and entire neighborhoods.  Listen to the podcast below:  Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state.  The post Challenging ‘Racial Profiteers’ appeared first on The Daily Signal.

“If you are unwilling to fight for a particular right‚ you will sooner or later lose it‚ and probably sooner than later. Even in a free country‚ each generation must be prepared to fight for its rights all over again‚ if they hope to pass them on to their children.” – Joseph P. Martino‚ Resistance to Tyranny: A Primer The post The Editors’ Quote of the Day: appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

Today’s graphic: United States Tree Canopy – 2016.  (A public domain graphic‚ courtesy of the USDA and your tax dollars.)     — Please send your graphic ideas to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted. The post SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.